


Walk On

by AuthorInDistress



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Drabble, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-26 11:22:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13234638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuthorInDistress/pseuds/AuthorInDistress
Summary: A moment between Justin and Tony after his prison release, between all the chaos.





	Walk On

**Author's Note:**

> I originally had this posted on tumblr but decided to post it :)

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* * *

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Tony sat with his back to the room, more bored than he'd ever been at an event like this.

He was really only here to accompany Steve on one of his fundraising societal galas as a plus one and he'd done nothing but regret agreeing to it since he'd gotten here.

Not even half an hour in, Steve had gotten lost talking to older couples and their younger, middle-aged children, chatting along and just really enjoying himself. Though it was really great to see, it didn't help Tony in finding some entertainment. He'd never been the person with no one to talk to before and he didn't like it.

There was nothing that he had in common with anyone else here, seeing as he’d probably never willingly come to something in this part of town anyway, and sitting at the bar had just seemed like the natural next step. He hoped he'd have some peace for at least an hour but a stool was pulled up from beside him and he felt his face fall when he saw who it was.

"Hello Tony. I didn’t think I’d see you here today,” Tony frowned at him, watching as Mr Alex Porter sat and ordered from the bar, “Whatever he’s having.”

God, save him. After yesterday, he would have been glad to never have seen the man again, “So what happened? Miss Potts kick you out the house?”

“It's a tower." Tony corrected him. "And no. Unless you’re illiterate - which isn’t surprising really - you’d know from the tabloids that our ‘thing’ isn’t really a thing anymore.” He took a sip of his drink, “What about you? I heard your wife wants to divorce.”

“Rumors,” Porter told him with a tight smile, “But let’s not talk about family and relationships, too personal, right? Why don’t we go back to the fact that you - no sorry. Your _'company’_ refused to take in my contract?”

Tony sighed, the anger from yesterday bubbling back up again, “Maybe I should make this as simple as possible and go by the fact that you actually _are_ illiterate.” Turning to face him, he gave him a look that he hoped was as condescending as he could make it, “You want weapons. Me? Don’t make them anymore.” Turning away again, he ran a finger down the side of his glass, “You’re excused.”

Unfortunately the man couldn’t take the hint and he reached out to grab Tony by the bicep, “Listen Stark, you’re young.” Tony scoffed, glaring at the hand that was touching him, “Younger than me anyway, and competence isn't your 'thing'. Your PA girlfriend has made more decisions about your company than you ever have yourself, so trust me,” He squeezed the hand that he had wrapped around Tony’s arm, “It's in _your_ best interests to accept my offer.”

Disgust didn’t seem to fit with this but hatred seemed too strong for such a clueless man.

“Are you seriously threatening me? At a public event, where my phone can record everything for security?”

“I’m not threatening you.” Porter huffed, sounding outraged enough to seem real but the look in his eyes spoke differently, “I’m only saying that you shouldn’t rebuff me so often.”

Tony just glared at him, “It's not rebuffing Porter, it's a flat _no_. I don’t deal in weapons anymore. Get that through your head.”

A spasm of anger ran over the man's face but he composed himself and let go of Tony's arm, “Fine. If you really don’t want to accept, then leave. This event is funded by me and I can have the 'tabloids’ print whatever I want when they ask for the review.” He gestured behind him, “Walk on, Stark.”

Tony's glare deepened and he felt his hands clench into fists over the bar. If he left now, Steve wouldn’t have a ride home and sitting out in the car until he finally came out was humiliating in its own way. Staying here however, was even worse.

How did this always happen to him? Couldn’t he just have one night without some asshole trying to ruin it? Usually it was the paparazzi so at least this was new.

“Walk _on_ _?”_  Someone spoke up from behind them both and recognising it immediately, Tony kept forced himself to keep facing forward, “He isn’t a horse, Mr Porter. Though I get where you made that mistake; your family do tend to deviate toward the hands-and-knees kind of language.”

Porter spluttered while Tony ignored his first instinct and turned his head around to face Justin Hammer and stare, his lips parted in surprise.

“Do you have any idea of who I am?”

Justin made one of his annoying faces, “Well you’re definitely _not_ the funding to this event, so your threat doesn’t work. And yes, for the sake of Mr Stark’s phone, that was a threat.”

Tony didn’t say a word as watched the two stare at each other, before Porter finally slid his stool back and stood, leaving the room entirely. Justin took his seat, “I could get him thrown out if you want?” He asked and Tony raised an eyebrow, “I’m the funding of this event.” He explained then.

Oh. How could he afford that? 

“What happened to prison?”

“My sentence was brought down.” Taking Porter’s drink, Justin scanned the rim to check that it hadn’t been drunk yet, “This has been paid for already, right?” He waited for Tony’s nod, before downing it all and smiling, “Yeah. Apparently an A.E.S is to thank for my sentence. They didn’t press charges, so I only got something mild.”

Tony didn’t bother to ask if he knew who that was when it was obvious that he did, “You’re still my least favourite person, whatever I didn’t press.” He snapped instead.

Justin grinned. “But I’m still somewhere on the favourite list, right …” Tony gave him a look, “Yeah, whatever. Thanks anyway, Tony.”

“What happened to the presumptuous _Anthony?”_

“You finally outgrew it.” Tony laughed, surprising even himself at the sound, and however strange it was he couldn’t help but think that Prison must have somehow been good for his old rival.

Justin pointed at him with a lack of subtly, which had always been his problem really with personal space right up there too, though he seemed to have gotten out of the awkwardness of it all if Tony was judging him now.

“I think someone actually got a picture of you genuinely smiling for once.”

“Fuck you.” Tony spat, without much venom, sliding his drink along when Justin looked at it, “Don’t get too drunk, it’s bad news for a CEO when they’re right out of prison. Trust me on that.”

“Yeah. Trust is something you and I should be a little,” He made a face, wiggling a hand from side-to-side, “On. I mean, after the Expo - ”

“Shut up Justin.” He snapped his mouth shut comedically hard. “Look. You’re an idiot. You’ve always been an idiot for as long as I’ve known you, and you’re an acting know-it-all who actually knows shit-all in reality.”

Justin pressed his lips together with a half-smile, obviously trying to hide his offence.

“You’re awkward, and _way_ too clingy, but you aren’t evil. The Expo was on Vanko, and while you’re a freakin’ _dipshit_ for freeing him in the first place, your sentence covered that part already. As far as I’m concerned, as long as you don’t try to call me out in front of Senators again, I’m bringing out the clean slate.”

“You - ” Justin stopped, his lips pouted as he tried to mull that over, “Really?”

“Yes. Really.”

“But I had a speech. I had a whole thing I was going to say. Do you have to take the spotlight every time, no matter what we do together, because I'm a billionaire to - ”

Tony smiled, “Don’t make me want to hit you, Justin.”

He stopped, looking back down at his drink and nodding to himself, “Yeah, okay.”

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End file.
